Desander or vacuum bailer



May l5, 1934. A. H. FLETCHER DESANDER OR VACUUM BAILER Filed June 27, 1953 abbo/M1414 Patented May 15, v1934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 7 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in desanding or bailing devices for oil wells and pertains particularly to a device of this character which is vacuum operated.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide a desander or bailer for oil wells in which two relatively movable parts coact to create a vacuum in the bailer which effectively draws the sand thereinto from the bottom of the well.

Another object of the invention is to provide a desander or'bailer in which a vacuum action is established for drawing in the sand and means is provided whereby the vacuum will be broken suddenly so that rapid relative movement between two of the parts will take place to produce a jarring action by which the sand will be caused to effectively close an inlet valve of the device.

The invention will be best understood from a consideration of the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing forming part of this specification, with the understanding, however, that the invention is not confined to any strict conformity with the showing of the drawing but may be changed or modified so long as such changes or modifications mark no material departure from the salient features of the invention as expressed in the appended claims.

In the drawing:-

Figure 1 is a -view in longitudinal section through the bailer or desander embodying the present invention; i

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken substantially upon the line 2-2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken substantially upon the line 3-3 of Figure 1. y

Referring now more particularly to the drawing wherein like numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views, the numeral l indicates the usual bottom or shoe for devices of this character. The upper end of this shoe which is reduced in diameter and screw-threaded as indicated at 2 has threadably coupled therewith the tubular portion 3, the lower end of which is interiorly threaded to receive the extension 2 of the shoe,

while the upper end is reduced and exteriorlythreaded as indicated at 4 to receive the lower portion 5.

The short tubular portion 3 which connects the shoe with the pipe portion 5 is of slightly less exterior diameter than the shoe and pipeand is surrounded by the sleeve 6, the outer surface of which is flush with the outer surfaces of the shoe and pipe 5. This sleeve 6 is rotatable about the tubular portion 3 and has a series of openings 7 formed therein which are designed' to be brought into registration with the ports 8 in the wall of the portion 3 to facilitate the discharge of sand from the bailer.

Secured between the tubular portion 3 and the upper end of the shoe 1 is an upwardly or inwardly opening. valve unit 9 by means of which sand is retained in the bailer, as will be hereinafter more fully described. F T'hreadably secured to the reduced portion 10 of the upper end of the pipe or body 5 is a pack- 70 ing carrying collarl'l. This collar is formedV to provide the two interior shoulders 12 and 13, the first of which is directed upwardly, while the other is directed downwardly and has a portion in contact with the upper lend of the pipe body 5. Upon the upper shoulder 12 of the collar 11 is a packing 14 which is retained yin place by the gland nut 15 and this in turn is locked in position by the surrounding lock nut 16 which is threaded thereon. 80

Extending through the packing collar into the body 5 is the hollow ortubular piston 17, the lower end of which is open, while the upper end has a head 18 in the center of which is formed the relatively small opening 19.

At a point a substantial distance inwardly of the lower end of the piston 17 there is formed a port 20 and below this port and in relatively close proximity to the lower end of the piston is a second port 21.

Upon a circumferential line on the piston 7 adjacent the port 2lv are secured shock shoulders 22 which, when the piston 7fis drawn upwardly, are designed to abut the shoulder 13 of the packing collar. 95

Upon the upper end of the piston 17 there is secured the hollow head 23, the connection with l the piston being made by the threaded sleeve 24. Theupper end of this head 23 is formed in any suitable manner to facilitate the attachment of a cable thereto and the head constitutes a housing or chamber for a. ball 25 which normally seats inthe opening 19 to close the same. The head 23 is also provided with air or relief ports 26, the purpose of which will become apparent in the description of the operation of the device.

Surrounding the upper end of the piston 17 and disposed between the gland nut 15 and the sleeve 24 is a shock absorbing spring 27 which drawing of material thereinto through the valve;

- the well.

prevents the sleeve`,24 from coming into contact with the gland nut f when the piston is moved into the pipe or barrel 5.

In the operation of the present bailer or de-I4 sander the sleeve 6 is turned to bring the openings 7 and 8 out of registry and thus close the through the valve 9 into the barrel. As the piston continues to be drawn outwardly it will reach the point where the port 20 will pass the packing 14, thus permitting air to enter the barrel and equalize the interior and exterior pressures. Thisv sudden release of the reduced interior pressure will permit the piston and barrel to quickly or suddenly separate and will bring the lugs 22 into violent contact with the shoulder 13, thus producing a jarring which will jar loose the lower section of the bailer from' the sand in which it is embedded and prevent the bailer from filling any further in case the lower section should be fast inthe sand. By this means if the first jar does not loosen the lower'part of the bailer the piston can be dropped slightly land then again raised to produce a suctionand to again produce a jarring action, the hole 2 6 allowing the escape of air from the inside of the tool when the -piston is lowered and also when the tool is rst dropped into the hole, also allowing the escape of any uid or gas which may enter Ithe tool at the bottom of the hole. 'Ihe port 21 above the lugs 22 permits any sand which may be in the upper part of the barrel to escape into the interior of the piston so that it will not interfere with the moving of the lugs and shoulder together.

After the tool has. been removed from the well it may be readily emptied of the sand therein by bringing the openings 7 and 8 into registry and allowingthe sand to flow out therethrough.`

It will, of course, be readily apparent that the valve ball 25 4,remains seated during the period when the piston 1'1 is being drawn upwardly in the barrel but will be unseated when the piston is forced back downinto the barrel, so that the air therein may escape. l

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed isz- 1. An oil well bailer, comprising a barrel having 'an inlet valve `at one endl, a piston in the barrel and adapted to be drawn out therefrom through the Aother end to effect the production of a reduced pressure Within the barrel, and means whereby the pressures within and outside of the barrel are equalized when the piston has reached a predetermined point in the barrel.

2. A well bailer, comprising a hollow body having an inlet valve, means for producing a reduced pressure within the bodyto effect the means ,for equalizing the pressures-within and exterior to the body, and means whereby the equalizing of such pressures will effect the jarring of the body.

3. A well bailer, comprising a barrel, an inlet valve at one end of the barrel, a piston reciprocable in the barrel and extending through the other end thereof whereby a reduced pressure is established in the barrel, said piston being of tubular formation and having an aperture in the wall thereof whereby air is permitted to enterthe barrel when the port reaches one point therein, and means for coupling an operating cable with the piston.

4. A well bailer, comprising a barrel, an inlet valve at one end of the barrel, an elongated tubular piston reciprocably extendinginto the barrel through the other end, said piston having a port in the wall thereof, a packing surrounding the piston at the said other end of the barrel, and means for connecting an operating cable with the piston.

5. A well bailer, comprising a barrel, an inlet valve in one end of the barrel, a packing in the other end of the barrel, a tubular piston passing through the packing into lthe barrel and having a port in the wall thereof, means to provide an abutment shoulder inwardly of said packing, yand means carried by the piston between the said port and the inner end thereof for contact with said `shoulder to limit the outward movement of the piston after the port has passed the packing. l

6. A well bailer,'comprising a barrel, an inlet valve at one end ofy the barrel, a packing in the other end of the barrel, an elongated tubular piston passing through the packing` into the barrel and ha'ving a port through its wall, a lug carried by the piston upon its outside surface and between said port and the inner end thereof, means in the barrel inwardly of the packing from the end adjacent thereto against which said lug abuts to limit the outward movement of the piston, said port being above the packing when the lug and said means are in contact, and a, valve in the outer end of the piston which opens outwardly to permit air to escape from the piston when the latter is moved into the barrel.

7. A well bailer, comprising an elongated tubular body, a shoe at the lower end of said body, said body inwardly'of said shoe having an opening in the wall thereof, an apertured sleeve surrounding the body and having an opening adapted to be brought into registry with the rst opening, an inwardly opening valve between the said first opening and the shoe, a packing within the tubular body at the end remote fromthe shoe, a tubular piston extending through the packing into the'tubular body and having a port in its wall, a lug carriedv by the piston between vthe port and the inner end thereof, a stop shoulder inwardly of said pakingagainst which the lug engages to limit the' outward movement of the piston, an outwardly opening valve at theA outer end of the piston, and means facilitating the attachment of a cable with the outer endof the piston. f

ALLEN H. FLETCHER, 

